I didn't buy the beans in bulk.

We started buying a few bags and putting them into our bean bin (lol bean bin!) and my wife would shop at the commissary most of the time when we started storing food. Over time she would simply add a second bag of beans to her list (and canned goods, and rice, and flour or whatever) over the course of a couple of years...

As time went on, of course we USE the food we store, but we also put in a little each time (more than we use) until we had about 100 lbs of beans, rice, I don't know how much flour and corn meal, but enough to keep us fed a long time. We added oils and fats that were stored in a manner they would last up to years.

Now - we're not storing it like we used to. We have some basic staple supplies now and have reduced the amount of canned food, etc. Plus as of a few weeks ago, I have two more living at my house until March 1st (I gave everyone an eviction notice already - including me. I'm moving out of my house one way or another in march to have contractors do some work and get it on the market). The dates are set.

The food left over will be split up between my five kids and my wife and I so we have a small quantity for ourselves and the rest goes to the kids. MOST of my kids these days have a similar method to mine of storing food.

Buy extra, store it, and add to it until you reach your goal.

Don't do it all at once, buy a little here, a little there. Like saving your pennies. Eventually you have a LOT of pennies then you cash in.